FREE tools and FREE downloads

for historians and genealogists

from

SOME FREE TOOLS:

What we call
things often changes. Sometimes, the old names are virtually forgotten.
Yet in genealogy and local history, these lost and forgotten names can prove
critical in getting to the next step or understanding an historical place or
time or other reference.

We can offer some help here. Mainly for our
own use, we've developed some lists of old names of things -- and, in some
cases, their modern-day counterparts. We've also collected some other
material that we're happy to offer for the
use of others.

People ask why we don't sell these items as we do our
other downloads -- for a modest price. Well, we
just don't. (However, the list of organizations known by
their initials is becoming popular enough that we may soon have to start
charging for its use -- but for the time being it's still free.)

to see our
own
list of organizations
known by their initials,
mostly (but not entirely) old ones. If you haven't a clue what E.O.M.A. was, or whether you would be
more apt to join the I.O.D. (or, perhaps, eat it for dinner), this occasionally
updated PDF file is for
you. It's particularly useful if you're trying to figure out what some
organizational initials stood for, way back when. (Latest revision is
version 2.8, June 7, 2013)

SOME FREE ARTICLES AND SOURCE MATERIAL:

to see scans of a family Bible that once belonged to one William Bonell (a/k/a Bonnell or Bunnell), who was a miller
in Liberty, Sullivan County, NY, in the early 19th century and is presumed to
have come from the Goshen/Northfield/Torrington/Norfolk area of Litchfield
County, CT. (This page is temporarily unavailable while we do further research
on this interesting family).

to see some articles from the
Connecticut Quarterly -- a magazine of history, geography and
culture that was published around the turn of the 20th Century.
Specifically, we've got articles about the following: (We also offer several
additional articles from the same source -- see our
Connecticut page.)

to go to our search page. There,
you can search the many indexes and summaries on this website.

We periodically add additional free research materials.

We hope this material is helpful to you!

(Needless to say, we also hope that you will consider
purchasing our history and genealogy CD-ROMS and our downloads --
to view our catalog, and
to visit our search page (where you can do a
free lookup in the many indexes and summaries that we make available of the
material we publish) -- but your use of these
research tools
is free regardless.)

Best source we've found for free genealogy
worksheets:

Nope, not on our site! But if
you're doing local history, at some point you are definitely going to need to
chart out a family or two.
Mid-Continent Public Library is worth a visit for their free genealogy
forms.